The Cardinal's Nest Wedding Venue and Inspiration

We were so honored to have the opportunity to photograph this beautiful new wedding venue, The Cardinal's Nest, alongside some of the area's most talented vendors and fellow photographers. If you haven't checked out this venue nestled in the Smoky Mountains, we are bringing you a sneak today. Enjoy!

Venue: The Cardinal's Nest | Stationery: Custom Love Gifts | Floral Design: Melissa Timm Designs | Gowns and Accessories: Lillian Ruth Bride | Men's Attire: Regal Tuxedo | Hair and Makeup: Southern Sirens | Cake: The Bees Knees Bakery | Lighting: Sequoyah Entertainment | China Rentals: Event Rentals by Rothchild | Linen Rentals: Campbell Party Rentals | Coordination: The Bride Link | Models: Talisa Cantrell and Steven McNelly

The Concord Farmhouse Winter Wedding - Knoxville Wedding Inspiration

Winters in Tennessee are usually incredibly mild, but our first blustery, chilly, and overcast day of the season coincided with this session, our winter wedding inspiration styled shoot. Held at a local farmhouse, The ConcordFarmhouse as it has been named, we wanted to channel the rustic nature of the venue in styling elements while also ensuring wintery details were highlighted. 
The farmhouse, built in 1905, sits on 2 ½ acres in the small town of Farragut within Knoxville. The home feels like a step into the country amidst a city setting as it surround by woods and features a classic Southern-style covered porch. The historic home contains many original finishes, and the owners also built much of the furniture displayed in the home, including the large over-sized farmhouse table styled for this shoot. Aside from the classic white exterior, towering white columns, and quaint green shutters, this house also boasts private gardens and a phenomenal ivy archway utilized in some of our shots. 
The first decision we made regarding this inspiration were the gorgeous jewel tones that were incorporated in the floral, place settings, cake, and even the makeup. These hues evoked a winter vibe, and the copper accents through the handmade candle holders and mugs added a warmth and richness that made these colors pop even more. Lovely fur stoles paired perfectly with the flowing white Azazie gowns that allowed for graceful movement, and our groom’s navy suit featured a cozy tweed vest and tie necessary for a cool outdoor winter wedding. The rich black dahlias incorporated in the stunning bouquet and table garland also carried into the groom’s boutonniere, which was ornate but inherently masculine. Deep shades of red were also prominent on the handmade cooper calligraphy place cards at each guest’s seat. Plump berries on a spiced three-tiered naked cake and bright pink and red cranberries strewn along the table made up the other fresh elements along with deep purple plums as the centerpiece for each place setting. Fruit was another defining component of this inspiration, and we wanted all of the choices to feel like the perfect winter edibles. 
These photos make us want to snuggle up with a warm drink, but we also wanted to convey a timeless elegance with a bit more dramatic look to welcome the colder weather. Rustic, simple, and classic, we hope this farmhouse styled shoot leaves our readers feeling inspired to embrace a winter wedding.

The Concord Farmhouse | Echelon Florist | Azazie | Unique Settings and Rentals | Whisk N' Batter | The Tristar Scribe | Regal Tuxedo | A Ribbon's Nest | Mrs. Box | Pier 1 Imports | The Find Lab | Off the Top Barbershop | The Hair Life by Elisha | Edienna Smith with Bluzybuffs | Ashley and Christina Harding

Wedding Planning Tips - Part 2: Booking Your Vendors

You're engaged! Congratulations! Now, it's time to start planning for your big day and reaching out to the people that you'd like to be part of creating your wedding vision. As part two of our tips series, we'd like to share some advice about the initial steps you should take in planning and communicating with potential vendors before booking.

Tip 1: Know the Details to Share

We have a ton of couples reach out to us immediately after they are engaged, and it is always great to be ahead of the curve when selecting vendors as many tend to book dates up to a year in advance. The single most important thing to have determined, however, prior to booking any of your vendors is a firm wedding date.  Asking for a photographer or other vendor, for pricing information to get a feel for what is out there and doable for your budget is acceptable, but without a specific date, you won't be able to book with the company and may be disappointed to find out later that they are unavailable. Generally, most vendors will also want to know your venue as well as some may charge additional fees for travel if the site is outside of their normal coverage area. So, set your date as quickly as possible, and go ahead and book your venue to get the ball rolling for your other inquiries.

 Tip 2: Respond and Just Ask

Any time I send an email, whether personal or business related, I am always impressed when the recipient responds quickly. This is something we really strive to excel at in our correspondence with clients, and it's one aspect of our communication that our couples really value. This is just as important when requesting information from a photographer, caterer, or venue, just as examples, from a client perspective. We always appreciate when a couple gets back to us, even if it's just to say that our pricing does not work in their budget. That's ok, and there are never hard feelings on our end. We are grateful for the response, and we both know that it's nothing personal or that they don't love our work. The other aspect of the pricing conversation is also being willing to ask what a particular vendor can do within your budget or requesting if there is a package or option that may suit your needs better. I always think, what's the worst that someone can say? No? I can handle that. If you really want to book a particular service or company, just ask, and the vendor will let you know if your vision is doable or not for them in your price range.

 Tip 3: Keep an Open Mind

Don't forget one important tip from our last blog as well; although pricing and budgets are, of course, important, many vendors want to get to know you a little better and build a relationship with you also. Sharing details and information about yourselves as a couple and being specific about your dreams for your wedding allow us to have some insight about who you are and if we are a good fit for capturing your big day. Quality work, goods, and services may cost more than you anticipate when starting your wedding planning, and although you should stick to a budget, make sure you are considering other aspects of what a vendor can offer including experience and the overall vibe you want to achieve for your wedding.

Thinking about the planning process from a vendor perspective can only help you achieve a more relaxing and smooth experience for your wedding day. To summarize, choosing your date and selecting your venue are usually the first decisions to make. Be open to corresponding with vendors openly and honestly and asking questions you may have. Finally, consider all aspects of what a potential vendor has to offer as part of their pricing. Referrals from friends and family are always meaningful, as personal experience is definitely valuable, and meeting with vendors in person to discuss options can always help you evaluate the connection you have with one another, which is another important factor to consider. Your wedding day should reflect your values and your style, and carefully choosing your vendors will ensure that you have the best, most memorable day possible.  

Dara's Garden | Whitestone Country Inn | Spence Cabin | Knoxville Botanical Gardens | Volunteer Princess Cruises | Walnut Hill Farm | The Barn at Living Water | Ijams Nature Center | Melissa Timm Designs | May Flowers | Echelon Florist | Grafe Studio Floral | Beez and Blossoms | Axel Marshall Productions | Rellek Films | Rivershack Farmhouse | Stylebar Chattanooga | Melissa Cubberley Makeup Artistry | Whitney Evans Beauty | Organic Infusion | Olde Enzor Lane | Magpies | Z Studio Weddings & Events | First Fruits Catering